Ore-reducing furnace.



` v No. alf/"5415.

. PATBNTBD APR. 10, 1906. H. P. BRQWN. om: REDUMNG FURNAUB.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 2%. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

all"

f caigo, in the rountj! oi @ook sind irlti lll ill lll ll l l dit no;eiwii 5.

Specification of Letters iiittent.

intentes April "1o, 1906.

Application filed Oetelaar 2li, 1905. Serif-l llo. 28%239.

Be it known tlnit l', Hennes F. lllnoWN, e citizen oi the Unit-edStates; residingA et Chi e oit lili noie, have invented s. new enduseful ini movement in Ore lledueing; l'urneeos, ol which thefollowii'igf is e speeilieetion.

My invention relates to iimprovements in the ,construction of iurnseesfor the 'trentn ment or" iiIiely-xliviiied ores eontsinii'i motel veluesend ie well adopted for use ineen-ying out on si commercial seele thestelle ol en iinproved process of reducing ores Forming the suhjeet oi eseperate ep Jlieeition, 'filed hy me en the Lilith dey of @ete er,19u55, Serial lilo; The inrneee 1s slsow'ell oriented for treeting'[ii'1ely-divid ed ores hy' other steine thon those of the processdeser'l w end oleiined :in the seid ziiipliestion.

in, the preetioe of my improved proc/ess re lierred to thefinely-divided ore to he treeted is passed in e. more or l seggi itesind while in atmospheric suspensie. lirough a downdreftreducingeheniher provided 1.1i its upper end with one or morelivrlitmiu'm hon-burners located, preferably, tongentislljf withreference to the olienihei to produce i Whirl ol its hot products ofeoinhiislion on eri-- tering, end thereby collent the shgregeieripertieles of ore hy creating vo it. The iedueing; fusing` atmospherestorting :it the burners und traveling in the downward direetion withthe orenlelts the letter und changes the metallic oxide into motel.,lfroni the steelt or reducing-chamber 'the ore tells directly findwithout suh]eetion to en oxidiz ing atmosphere into i1. bfi-th of.moltensleg :ind

y lesscompletoronihustioii,whichfurti n:

flows heneeth the sur'leoe of the hitter into si. reverheriitoiyclieniloer or iinielieortli. This ehinnhor provided with inletsliorliighly' heated oir, which or .mixes .vith t- .reduc-- ing-gestesfrom the steelt toinoduee more or hosts tlie'lneth to iuiiiintein itmolten dui'ii g; separan tion ol' tno nietel 'from the sliiggproddeinginv` pnritiee beneath the protectiegrovering oi:

. the surface portion oi" the hath.

illy olijeet is to provide e combined down droit-streelt :ind'Forelleeith-ui'niiee ol honi-Y perotivoly simple und inexpensiveoonstruw tion oenillle ol.' treating finely-divided ores elleeeiouslyand in e eontinuous nien nei-width peculiar economy in the metter ol'xfuel ronsuinptiou end o'iereting expenses.

ln the eeeonipzinying drewihgs l show my improved furnace oi onedesirehle eil/estruc View, partly in elevation, partly broken and.

partly in section, of my improved combined steelt andl.reheerthel'urneee provided with regenen-tors; ldig. '2,21 broken vviewshowing a. section t Hough the lorelieertli, taken on line l2 in lli land viewed in the direction ofthe arrow; ig. 3, :i View partly insection and portly in elevation, the section heilig' through the steelten'd ioreliezuth on line 3 in Fig. 4; Fig. il, e pliin eeetion teken inSeperate planes ns indimited hy the lines el, il in Fig. 3; and.

lfig. 53, spie-n section oiltlie steelt, teken at one el the combustion--ehznnhers on line 5 in ling. 3.

,il is :i simil' or furnace-smelt provided in" its upper end with :inore-inlet ci. 'The steek in thepresent consti-notion rises from an endextension f) oi" :t 'oreiieerth or reverherz'itory i'lizinilioi ll,terminating et e bridgewell c. The stool; is iorined in the `presenteoiiistruetion with en upper enlargement l and a lower enlxngeinent n,separated by a restricted passage n/,eeeh seid enlargement forming eComluisltiinseluiniher provided with a tangential inleven-ming fittedwith e burner y, preforzihljf lor liydroeni'lmn gas or oil. Beyond thebridge-woll c of the 'forehead-th is en outlet--eluinil\" l1.,toimnuniesiting through conduits l: i i the lower ends, respectively, ofthe 'reg Moreton-1 l? l).

.s have outlet-openings l, leading t0 s. gais-milieu l'luv rfi, the seidilue communieiitinnj with en .i1e-swoge receptacle E, from which thefrases disolnnge into en outlet-Hue y. .Ent @ring the lower perte oi"the regenerw lors ere compr dniwsupply pipes g if', fitted withgoto-vulves s, and "extending from the upper ports ol" theregeneretorsere eiro utlet `pipes if o, which eonnnuniea'ite With e,foi'ulnon eir-e mduit l" end a e Aprovided with rete-velves w. toinl tothe roept-.olive inlets f of' the combustion-chalutiers il e.Enteringthe end olI the ioreiieelfth or reve-irherzitoiychamber E :it

At their tops the re- Air-'supply jiipes ai n-2.,

--v 1/, to. which extend air-conducting pipes ln the sai( z from theconduit F. The conduits 'Lc `communicate with the space or chamber hthrough openings 6, which areopened and closed bf raising and loweringvalves 7 of suitable construction. The gas-outlet openings l are alsoopened and closed by means of raising and lowering valves 8 of suitableconstruction. Above the'regenerators is a rockshaft 4), provided witharms or ulleys 10, from which the valvess, w, 7, and) 8 are suspended,as shown, in a manner to cause the gas `7inlet and outlet'valves of oneregenerator to open while those of the other'regenerator 4close and tocause the air inlet and outlet valves of one 'reger'ierator to open whenthe gas-valves of the same iegenerator close, and vice versa. The shaft9 may be rocked, by a lpull upon one of the valve-suspending cablesshown, to actuate all the Valves simultaneously, as described. Theore-storage receptacle E has a hopper-shaped base 11, provided with anopening 12, registering with the inlet-o ening a at the top of the stackA. l)hopper portion of the receptacle is a feed-screw 13, operating inits rotation to feed finely-divided ore at a predetermined rateinto' theopening a.

,Before commencing operations the burn- ,ers g should be started to heatthe stack and .forehearth structures to a high tem erature,

and a preparatory molten-slag bat should be present in the fore/hearth.The ore to be treated is fedin a' finely-divided condition withadditional finelysdivided' iluxing and slag-making material, ifnecessary, to the re ceptacle E, and when the feed-screw 13 is rotatedthe ore or mixture is fed at the desired rate through the openings a. torain downward through the stack. etween the opening a, and uppercombustion-chamber d is a reduced reliminary ore-heating chamber 14, inwhich a more or less quiescent highly-heated atmosphere is maintained,and bellow theenlarged combustion-chambers d e is a reducedheat-concentratinvl chamber l5.

The hot gases after passing through one of the re enerators move, asbefore stated, throng the receptacle E to dehydrate the ore contentsthereof. Therefore as the ore is led through the opening a the particlesfall in a more or less segregated state through the preliminary-heatingatmosphere in the up -:er reduced chamber 14, where they are quiclrlyraised to a high temperature. When the particles reach the uppercombustion-chamer d they are enveloped by the flame from the upperburner g, which in whirling around under the force created by thetangential burner tends to create a vortex, which car'- ries theparticles around and gradually toward the center into approximatephysical contact. This action upon the ore is enhanced by the lowerburner 5f. The object staats i. of the reduced lower` chamber 15 is tocause the burners g. In carrying out my aforesaid process highlyheatedhydrocarbons from the burners and additional carbon fed with the ore, ifnecessary, will under the intense heat in the stack quickly deoxidizethe metallic-(mid constituents of the ore as the melt, so that inpractice the ore as it fal s into the slag-bath in the chamber extensionb will be in a fluid or semiluid state, completely deoxidised, orsubstantially so. The draft from the burners g is in a downwarddirection to the hearth BA and thence over the bridge-wall to theregenerators, and the draft is augmented by currents of highlyheated airentering Vat the inlets y. rents of hot products of combustion from theburners sweep aroundand around the interior Wal of the stack as theydescend, vand .the whirl thus given to the descending Aore tends reatlyto rolong the assage thereof throng the stac' and its su jectlon to theaction of reducing ses. As the reduced ore falls into the bat at'thechamber extension l the reducing-gases ow outward over IOO the surfaceof the slag-bath and expand and the surface of the slag before it flowsinto the main chamber or forehearth. The mingling' of thereducing-gaseswith the highly-heats air from the inlets y tends topromote more or less complete combustion of the gases, with consequentgeneration of heat, which reverberates throu h the forehearth andfurther heats theqentire bath. When the'deoxidized ore moves from thechamber exension intothemain body of the forehea tl;- bath, it isprotected from the reoxidizing inuence of the highly-heated air by thelayer of molten slag and the ore remains thus protected while the metalconstituents separate by gravity from the slag-producing constitu entsof the ore.

The shaft 9 is rocked at desiredv intervals to open and close the airand gas inlet and outlet valves, as described, so that the gases fromthe 'forehearth pass alternately through the/regcnerators to heat the'same, while tho air currents through the rcgencrators are caused toalternate with the gas-currents in thc usual manner.

, am' its upuiaif vmwi, ii' fwiii'cli, lo cai-miie Hm @immissioni in iil i i mimi, ai; be us wiile am tim 11mm dmmiwr. Ain thv ini;-

iimvim im.

l'av'limcu in i'w.'ixias-:5eimi 'i'ieiiziiiw in :willvwsiixmlimvisi'minilm. infinitif-i im: i'miiiug' um im u widprviiiniiziiry L:iiia,ziiim' nimma 'm siiiiiiiimaiing ai. fusing; Lumpurum in bhv minimi Liar t um 115 ,misi mmv i' fumi im; me :mimi A enelieomliiisiion-eliaiinlmr for maintaining; e. iisin temperature therein,unil n reverheieoijy orelieniili iiiin whii'h sziiilroneentisting-ehnnilier iliselnn'ges :inil in whiili separe tion takespliiee ol' the ineizil velues ioin the slag by gravity.

4. ln ii furiiiiee for treiitinf iineij.'ilivi leil ore, the combinationoi i1 'ilownilrnitstiiei ineliiiling, in series, e.prgiiininiiiy-henting chamber, enlarged ii per and iowei eemluistion-ihainl ers wit :i iestiirteii passage between them, and iilient -eonemitra`ing elifiinlier r'iiliieeii in i'ross-seetionrelnii'fe: to siiiil lower eoinhiistion-irheniher, nienns iol* feedingore into said giirelii'niniiiy ehem-hei, means communicating with enehcoinliiistion-chamber for maintaining a isingf teni-- emtiire therein,4unil e. reverherntory loreearth into which saideoneenmeting-eliminber'disehnrges and .in which separation taires placeo' the metal values from the sing by gravit 5. n e fiirnece for treatingneiy-divifgied ore, the combination of a downdmi't ifieere (lacing steekprovided in its upper end pon tion with an ore-feed opening 'sind e.redueingy atmosphere iniet beneath seid opening, orehearth into whichthe stack -iiiseherge-s, and means for mainisaining n moltenprotecting-bath in said oreheaith into which the reduced ore falls onentering and. whereby the deoxidized metal is protected egeinsiexitintion whiie separating irme. sing-making impurities.

6. in a furnace for treating fineijwiivideii oie, the combination of aiie-eeniieit ore-re ducing steek provided in its iipier end pm# tionwith an ore-feed opening sn-ii reducingatmospheie inlet heneiitii siiiiiopening, e. forehearth into wliieli he steek discharges, means formaintaining iiv molten poteetiigbath in said fore-hearth into 'which theIeguced ore falls on entering,J and whereby the i eoxiilized metalpreteeted against oxidetion while sepimitiiiii from slug-makingimurities, and means 'or sii plyingr im imieiizu lng atmosphere to theforelieuitli beyond ine path of entrance of ore from the steek to withanti further combustion of the reiliieing gases from the' stack.

7. in a furnace for treating iiiely-iiiviiiefi ore, t.he combination ofa iiownilriit.. ore-reducing stack provided in its upper enil portionwith iin ore-feed opening, zi preliminary heet/ing chamber beneath saidopening vanilii rediieingmimospheie inlet beneath sind ohnmbei', aioi'elieiirth into which the stack discharges', and means formaintaining :i iiioltien protectingbath in sniil forehenrih into wliiehthe rei iiceil ore fslls on entering and whereby the deoxiilizeil inealis proteeteil zigainstexitistion while separating from the ingeitmosphee into the stack, e. oiehearth into which-the steel;discharges, and means ier mainaining e. molten roteeting-bsth in saiilioreiiea'rih inio whic the reduced ore frills on enieing amie/hereby thedeoxidized nietzii in proteeieil iignins oxidation While separating fromsieg-making inipinities.

9. in e 'immane for Heating iinely-divided oi'e. the eoinhinaion of anore-stacixage leepeieie, n iioiiv'nilriift orerrefiiieing steek profefiileil in its upper end portion with anjOrefeed opening communicatingwith said ecepiii-Cie, anti e. reducing fusing atmosphereinlet| heieafhsaid npeningn forehear'thi. into Whieii the steek diselrmrges7 means formainmining s molten protecting-bath in saidlfor'ehearth into Wiiielith'e'reliieed ore'fa'lis oit-en"- tering and whereby the deoiidizedmetal is proteeied :against oxideion whiie separating ineens throughwhich the 'for'eliei-th g'se's pese, e. geseoniliiit extenflingrom thesaid regenerating means into 'contact with vthe vsind ieeeptarle toilehyihfite the ore contents of liie sind reeepiiu-le, and means forpassing nii* through' the regenerating. apparatus' to the seidreiiiieiiigT iiising'ntmosphere inlet' :intl into the iorehesith heyonclthepatih of entrenee of he ore from the steek, whereby highly-heatedoxidizing reverheiatory atmosphere esnseii to mingle in vthe forehesiih*with the reducing-'gases frein the stm-li.

HORACE F. BROWN. in presence of Ji. i?. Tnoniim,

fi. il. LANDES.

IOO

9o lrom sing-making impurities, regenerating

